Duke Football still shines as the dust settles on the season

As the dust settled on the 2013-14 college football season after Florida State claimed the national championship in a thrilling victory over Auburn, the Blue Devils were ranked 22nd and 23rd in the final polls.

You had to go back to 1961 to find Duke in another final poll, but granted they only ranked a top 20 teams in the early years. Still, this has been an amazing season for Duke Football.

Duke was picked last in the pre season ACC projections and they proceeded to win their division as champions and finish the season with an impressive 10-4 record.

Any time a team reaches the 10 win level it generally points to a great season and for Duke, there could be more to come.

Despite some key losses, especially in team leadership, the Blue Devils return a solid contingent of players and they should be ranked in the pre season polls if past standards have any bearing.

All of this is new, yet welcomed ground for the program which is turning the corner after a long rebuilding process under national coach of the year, David Cutcliffe.

It was quite simply a season that fans did not want to end and one which made the many sites and media types take notice and finally cover the program.

For us here at Blue Devil Nation, we've been on the bandwagon from the start, recognizing the character and desire of truly good kids who are also the epitome of what you you want out of student athletes. And we hope you will continue to seek us out for great coverage of the program year round.

Duke Football got to where it is today with hard work and no short cuts and that means there is a solid foundation in which to build on.

What we all look forward to now are the coming changes to Wallace Wade Stadium and for the off-season settle a bit where we know if any further coaching changes are at hand.

When you have a season that fans do not want to see end, you have to build on it and I think you'll see a swell of folks interested in season tickets in the coming years.

The rebuilding is now entering the solidification phase for the Blue Devils and that starts tomorrow when the team gets together and meets in an effort to set the tone for the following year.

I expect we'll be hearing that there is no chance of the head man leaving then, or I surely hope to for Cutcliffe and his staff have proven their worth.

Duke Football has been dormant for much of my adult life. I dreamed of winning seasons, joking before I passed on from this life, that I'd like to see them win and I am not alone there.

It's fun to win and compete. It's fun to see Duke printing up football t-shirts which celebrates a division championship. It's even more fun seeing people who have been Duke fans only in basketball wake up to the fact that being a Duke fan in every sport is the way to go.

Once the administration got behind Duke Football we are all-seeing that it has indeed been fruitful and that is a sign to keep moving forward with plans.